Kora Caselli is the second oldest of the Caselli siblings. Right along with her brother, she’s had to grow up quicker than she wanted to. Sacrificing the life, she thought she would have to be there for her youngest siblings and step into a role that was always chosen for her. As a federal judge, Kora Caselli, or Judge Case, has built her career on being fair—sometimes, tough—and about business within her courtroom. At 34, she’s one of the youngest and most feared judges in the system, known mostly for the high-profile cases she has tried.

One fifteen-minute encounter as teenagers changed everything for Rex Goode and Truce Redmond. They both walked away different people. For him, it catapulted his career in boxing. For her, it challenged her commitment to family. Years later, Rex is a retired boxer, single father, and furniture store owner who has left his fighting days behind him. Truce is a dutiful daughter, loving big sister, and owns the popular soul food restaurant, Redmond’s. On the outside, her life is perfect, until it’s not.

Salima Navarro, a driven young woman with dreams larger than her current circumstances, takes a job at the upscale Aura nightclub to support herself and her recovering mother. This decision unexpectedly propels her into an unfamiliar world. Deuce Dillinger, the commanding heir to a powerful family empire, is accustomed to control in all aspects of his life. Upon seeing Salima, he resolves to make her his, despite her initial resistance to his domineering personality and lifestyle.

Michelle and Kelsie have never had it easy, but the one thing that has remained consistent in each of their lives are each other. Both in their early twenties and with the stress of the world on their shoulders, they both manage to still be there for each other through it all. Michelle's dream is to be a top stylist, well her dream was a reality until she was fired from Naomi's shop because of her boyfriend. Tasheem is all Michelle knows, and that's being physically and mentally abused by the man she has loved since she was younger.

Xander Brown is a skilled surgeon who lives a carefree life. With him being the Chief of Surgery at GHM, his plate is always full. However, he made room for the one woman he couldn't see himself without. Zara Lyles is the hood Barbie; that's all about her family. She does what needs to be done for them to survive, all while keeping a certain elegance. As usual, she has it all together without the help of a man.

Milli is in love with being a family man but can't help thinking about why Kelsie doesn't want to give him a baby. Kelsie is still dealing with emotions from the last time she was pregnant with Milli's baby. Will they drift apart? Or will Milli be there for his woman? It's no secret that Kelsie and her mother have a strained relationship. When Shanny reveals something from her past, will this bring the mother and daughter closer or push them further apart? Marina isn't giving up her granddaughter without a fight, even if that means dragging Kelsie to court.

Lies. Speculation. Deceit. Trust Ashley James went from being on top of the world to under it in less than eighteen minutes. With his back against the ropes, he had no choice but to isolate until further notice. When he returns to the ring, he’s a new man. A better man. A man that one woman had been praying for all along.

Detavio Decebal was never meant to be good. He was raised in the shadows of a man who believed kindness was weakness, which later made him feel like love was nothing more than a leash meant to be snapped. He was raised by force and taught only to survive. By the time he became an adult, he had taught himself how to dominate those around him until he met Angel. A woman he set out to ruin and break since she was a threat to the Decebal name.

After the untimely death of his father, Rosier "Zoo" Boudreaux rightfully inherits Boudreaux Enterprises. Although he anticipated being in charge his entire life, he could have never prepared for the dark secrets, dirty money, and unethical practices that lived after his father's demise. Though thrown for a loop, he wastes no time claiming his seat at the head of the table and demanding the respect of his constituents. After all, Zoo was trained for it.

Normandee Tribune dedicates her life to saving the lives of children. While she loves her job, it doesn't fill the void of not being able to have the one thing she desires more than anything—a family of her own. Amid her fertility struggles, she's forced to come to terms with the reality that she may have put her heart in the hands of the wrong person. Things begin to shift after she's reunited with the knight in shining armor who once helped her during a devastating loss. Now, Normandee is left with hard decisions only she can make.

Edward and Shanti had been together since college. They always knew they wanted forever with each other, especially when Shanti got pregnant during her junior year and Edward’s senior year. With Edward being drafted into the NFL, they weren’t sure what their future would look like, but their love for each other was certain. So, they decided to get married.

Iesha Chic moved to New York to follow her dreams and her long-distance boyfriend at the time. She had dreams of becoming a fashion designer and starting her clothing line. However, after four years and multiple broken promises, she finds herself back in Brookwood with her tail tucked between her legs. She doesn't have the career she thought she would have or the boyfriend. Moving back home to Brookwood was the last place she thought she would ever be. Instead of sitting around licking her wounds, she applies for a junior designer position for Fashion Don.

These are the tenets that rule the De Santis family—until an arranged marriage potentially threatens all three. Born into the most ruthless crime family in the South, Azreal De Santis is bred to lead, dominate, and rule. When a strategic marriage forces him to take Natoi Kingston as his wife, Azreal learns power is not always defined by strength, blood is not the strongest bond, and loyalty isn’t always black and white. Sometimes there are shades of gray.

Dominic DeBlanc is a wayward street hustler and part-time rapper constantly running from a past that haunts him. With a bleak outlook on life, he finds himself teetering between two worlds - a seedy one where he’s not guaranteed to see his 22nd birthday, and a promising one that might bring him recognition for his talent. After a chance encounter with a peculiar waitress, he finds himself engulfed in a friendship he never knew he needed. However, his complex life and reckless decisions challenge their already complicated bond....

It started with a proposition (in a hotel bar of all places). The brooding drug lord. The beautiful damsel with jagged edges. You know the rest, right? It’s a page straight out of a hood fairy tale. But our story is far from a classic romance. Because Ahsan Patton isn’t your typical gangsta. He’s the kind that’ll order a hit then rearrange your guts to a slow jam. So, tell me why I agreed to be his fake girlfriend again?